The International Air Transport Association (IATA), together with carbon market stakeholders, is calling on governments worldwide to urgently address the extremely limited supply of carbon credits available for airlines to fulfil their obligations under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).

CORSIA is the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) market-based measure scheme aimed at addressing carbon emissions from international aviation.  It operates in the context of the ICAO resolution passed in October 2022, which committed the international aviation sector to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Under CORSIA, aeroplane operators of certain international flights are required to offset any increase in their emissions above a 2019 baseline level by purchasing and surrendering eligible carbon credits, known as CORSIA Eligible Emissions Units (CEEUs). Purchasing CEEUs may be complemented with an airline’s use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Countries are now beginning to implement CORSIA obligations into their domestic legislation, with the UK government recently issuing draft legislation which will apply CORSIA obligations to aircraft operators in the UK. Other countries, such as Brazil, Canada and New Zealand have also introduced new, or amended existing, legislation to implement the CORSIA

But airlines fear that the necessary carbon credits wikth which they can offset any increases are simply not available.
As such the signatories to the new plea for actions have called on governments to issue Letters of Authorisation (LoAs) which enable the release of CEEUs for purchase by airlines.

They added the timely issuance of LoAs is key to:

• Creating a robust and transparent market for CORSIA EEUs,
• Facilitating the successful implementation of CORSIA,
• Safeguarding the environmental integrity of international aviation’s climate commitments.

“CORSIA is a vital part of aviation’s global climate strategy. Through it, airlines mitigate their climate impact by funding verified emissions reductions in other sectors. In generating this climate finance CORSIA also plays a key role in both environmental and socio-economic progress, especially in developing countries. To unlock CORSIA’s climate finance potential and ensure its contribution to aviation’s decarbonization, states must authorize the release of EEUs. That is one of our top messages to the 193 member states at the ICAO Assembly,” said Yue Huang, Assistant Director Climate Policy, at the 42nd ICAO Assembly, in Montreal, Canada.

“Africa expresses support to CORSIA. Unlocking access to CORSIA-eligible units and attracting climate finance. This will enable Africa to show commitment to sustainability and shape global solutions with regional perspectives. This is about ensuring that our economies and operators benefit fairly from the transition to a low-carbon future,” added Adefunke Adeyemi, Secretary-General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) at the same event.

LoAs are official documents issued by host countries authorizing the use of carbon credits (known as Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes or ITMOs) for CORSIA compliance, according to the provisions of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The letters confirm that the emissions reductions associated with a carbon credit will only be counted once, as part of CORSIA, by requiring the host country to apply a “corresponding adjustment” to its own Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). Without LoAs, airlines face a shortage of CORSIA-eligible units, placing CORSIA in jeopardy, and depriving project developers of airline funds as a source of climate finance.

IATA forecasts that airlines will require between 146 and 236 million CEEUs during CORSIA’s first phase (2024–2026). However, the current supply of CORSIA-eligible units is limited to the 15.8 million credits made available by Guyana.